How to Raise Grateful Kids

As someone who LOVES the holidays, I can't believe I'm
writing you! The decorating, the shopping, the cooking, the eating ... I
love all of it, and having a daughter to share it with has only made it better.
But here's the thing. My daughter is now 8 years old, and I'm starting to think
all of this holiday cheer may be taken for granted. It's not like she's always
begging for toys, it's more like she doesn't realize that she's a lucky
kid.

After all, I grew up with not a lot (or not as much as she
did) so I know she's lucky. It's a nonstop party in our house from Halloween
to New Year's Day. She asks Santa for a toy, she gets it. Lucky, right?

I'd just love to figure out a way to make her grateful, or
to realize how lucky she is, without putting a damper on the holidays. I'm guessing the French have no problem with this, right?

While I think it’s admirable that you want your daughter to
appreciate what she has, my impression from your letter is that you may be overanalyzing
things from the helicopter mom cockpit.

I’m with you and your kids, and I love the holidays. As an adult, I’m so grateful to my parents who
somehow (for all 13 of their children) made magic happen every year.

There are certainly spoiled kids with entitlement issues in
France, but I did notice, for the most part, that French children don’t expect the
same obscene quantities of loot that many American children count on at
Christmas time. Inspired by this, I
decreased the amount of presents Santa brings to my kids. Amazingly, they didn’t really seem to notice,
and, even more surprising, my daughters end up putting more value on the smaller
amounts of gifts they do get. I recommend this to any parent overwhelmed with
the sheer mass of junk that the holidays bring. While this is certainly a place
to start, I don’t think it speaks to the heart of your letter.

It can be confusing for children to be given a ration of guilt along with their piles of toys and treats.

I struggled with ways to make my kids feel grateful at the
holidays, too, and I’m afraid that most of the times I pointed out how lucky
they were, I did it in a way that shamed them. Perhaps it's because I was always most
forceful about it just when they were approaching the zenith of holiday glee. Certainly not what I was after. It can be confusing for children to be given a
ration of guilt along with their piles of toys and treats. Comedian Eddie Izzard knows exactly what I’m talking about.

About a year-and-a-half ago, a good friend asked if he could
bring my daughters, then ages 6 and 8, to work with him at a soup kitchen for a
few hours. It’s really a "community supper," and volunteers spend a couple of
hours cooking and setting up before the doors are opened to anyone in need of a
hot meal. Volunteers are then invited to
sit down and eat with those who have come in for dinner.

My kids’ introduction to the soup kitchen took place during
the summer, but the effect on their feelings of gratitude and privilege was
long-term. My advice to you is to refrain
from nagging your girl about how fortunate she is throughout the holidays, but
rather do something with her so that she can see for herself what she has.

These days, my oldest daughter insists that we take her to
volunteer at the community supper every month. She has even opted to serve
supper over attending birthday parties or swim dates. I could never have said anything that would
have carried the same power.

In short, do cool stuff throughout the year that helps
others and reminds your daughter that she’s got it good, and let your girl enjoy the holidays.